MOMENTS IN TIME

1973 — April 26 In April 1973, the County Commission voted to prohibit the use of 11 beach accesses on Siesta Key between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The ordinance was passed because it was made known that a similar resolution, passed in 1970, would expire in November, when the county’s chapter took full effect, according to The Observer’s archives. Violation of the ordinance would have resulted in a misdemeanor and punishment by a fine of up to $500 or 60 days of imprisonment in the county’s jail, or any combination of the two. Today, the beach is open 365 days a year. The public parking lot is closed midnight to 6 a.m. Those parked in the parking lot during closed hours will get a ticket for $74.50 plus any additional costs imposed by the state or local law.

1974 — According to a Siesta Suprex ad in April 1974, Kraft mustard cost nine cents for a 6-ounce jar.

1977 — April 22 According to The Observer archives, Siesta Key was designated a bird sanctuary around this date.

New signs appeared on Midnight Pass and Beach roads in 1977, declaring the island a bird sanctuary.

“We now have continuous shoreline territory designated as bird and small-animal sanctuary from Manatee to Charlotte County,” said John Brentlinger, the president of the Sarasota chapter of the Audubon Society. “This encompasses an area west of Route 41 and includes all the keys, as well as nesting and roosting areas such as mangrove thickets in the bay.”

The designation meant the county Sheriff’s Department would see that Florida statute 372.021 was enforced for all wildlife. Under the statute’s protection, no person/s could shoot, molest or disturb the nests of any wildlife in the area, whether native or exotic.